Folding box



G. J. EVANS 2,4557

FOLDI NG BOX Filed May 31, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet l jaw. 11, 1949. G, EVANS 2,458,5?

FOLDING BOX Fi ed May 31, 1946 s Sheefs-Sheet 2 [huerZ/or 'f -M by W G. J. EVANS FOLDING BOX Jan. H, 1949.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 31, 1946 w w bw r w 1 7 Q L J Patented Jan. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a paper box or carton of the type comprising members made of sheet material which may be stacked in a knock-down condition and erected to form an enclosure for cake or other commodity.

The object of this invention is to provide a box of this character having improved means for quickly, easily and securely connecting the opposing ends of the side wall of the box, also connecting the bottom with the side wall, also connecting the top with the side wall, and also providing the top with a lid and means for fastening the same in. an open and a closed position.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an erected box embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the erected box of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section of the erected box taken on line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 44, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan, view of a blank constituting the wall of the box and the means for connecting the ends of the same and also themeans for connecting the bottom and top of the box with the side wall.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the blank forming the top of the box and the means for connecting the same with the wall thereof and also means for holding part of the top as a lid in an open position.

Fig. '7 is a similar view of the bottom of the box and means for connecting the same with the wall thereof.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 88, Fig. 1 showing the position of the fastening means after the ends of the wall are connected by the same.

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the parts of the means for connecting the ends of the wall preparatory to interlocking the same.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary inside elevation of the ends of the wall showing the same connected by the fastening means of this invention..

Fig. 11 is a similar View showing the ends of the wall separated and the means for connecting the same in a position preparatory to being interlocked.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary vertical cross section of the box showing part of the cover or top turned back and held in an open position in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line Ill-l3, Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary horizontal section showing the position of the parts which connect the cover to the side wall of the box preparatory to interconnecting these parts.

In the following description similar numerals indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings:

In general this folding box comprises a horizontal bottom In, an upright side wall ll connected at its lower edge with the periphery of the bottom and a horizontal top or cover I! connected at its periphery with the upper edge of the side wall, these several members being made of sheet material, such as paper. After stamping fiat blanks of the required shape out of this material the same are connected by fastening means which are constructed in accordance with this invention.

Although the contour of the box. may be varied to suit difierent requirements the box shown in the drawings is of circular formand more particularly adapted for enclosing or packing a cake of this general shape.

The bottom I 0 of the box has the form of a circular disk, as shown in Figs. 4 and 7, the cover I2 is likewise of circular form as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the wall II has the form of a cylinder, as shown in Fig. 4.

In the preferred construction the side wall is made from a strip of sheet material which is bent into the form of a cylinder and has its opposite ends connected by fastening means which are constructed as follows:

Adjacent to one end of the side wall the same is provided with a vertical coupling slit l3 and w the other end of the wall is providedwith coupling tab l4 projecting lengthwise therefrom. The ends of the wall overlap one another and the coupling tab on one wall end is preferably passed inwardly through the coupling slit in the other wall end so that the wall end having the tab is on the outer side of the box and the wall end having the slit is on theinner side of the same and the tab engages the inner side of this wall end having this coupling-slit l3, as shown in Figs. 4 and 10.

Withdrawal of the coupling tab from the coupling slit is prevented after the tab has been moved through the slit its full extent, by a. locking lip l5 preferably arranged on the lower edge of the coupling tab and formed integrally therewith. Preparatory to pushing the coupling tab inwardly through the coupling slit, the locking lip is folded upwardly against the inner side of the coupling tab, by bending the stock of the sheet 3 blank along a longitudinal line between them, shown at 16 in Fig. 10 so that the locking lip is moved from a position in which it is in the same plane as the coupling tab to a position in which it lies against the inner side of the coupling tab and in a plane parallel with the coupling tab. as shown in Figs. 9 and 11. While the locking lip is thus folded upwardly against the inner side of the coupling tab the members of the assembly are moved from the uncoupled position shown in Fig. 11, to the coupled position shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 10, whereby the coupling tab and the locking lip, while folded against the inner side of the coupling tab are passed lengthwise fully through the coupling slit. The locking lip is initially held by hand in its folded position against the coupling tab until the front parts of this tab and lip have entered this slit but thereafter the lip will be held by the material of the wall adjacent to this slit without the aid of the hand until the rear end of the lip clears this slit. When this occurs the inherent resilience of the material of which the tab and lip are made will cause the lip to be automatically turned inwardly and, downwardly away from the coupling tab so that it projects across the rear edge of the coupling slit, as shown in Figs. 4, 8 and 10, thereby interlocking the slitted end of the wall and the tab bearing end of the same and preventing the ends of the wall from being pulled apart lengthwise and instead held firmly in a position in which the wall is rigid and not liable to give way under normal use.

Inorder to prevent the locking lip from moving outwardly into a position in which it would be in the same plane as the coupling tab, a stop or stop lug I1 is formed on the lower part of the rear edge of the coupling slit l3 which is so located that when the locking lip is unfolded from the coupling tab this stop will be arranged between the plane of the locking lip l5 and the plane of the tab [4 which is on that wall end having the coupling slits, as shown in Figs. 4, 8 and 10 and thus positively prevent the locking lip from moving into a position in which it and the tab 14 could be pulled outwardly through the coupling slit.

In order to hold the opposing ends of the wall so that the same cannot move vertically relative to each other and instead maintain their upper and lower edges in alinement with each other the,

upper edge of the coupling tab is engaged with the upper end of the coupling slit l3 and an alining stop or lug I8 is provided on the lower part of the wall end having the coupling tab, which alining stop, in the assembled position of the parts engages the lower end of the coupling slit I 3, as shown in Fig. 10, so that the combined effect of the tab and the alining stop when engaging the upper and lower ends of the slit l3 positively hold the wall ends in a properly alined position.

For the purpose of limiting the extent which the tab l4, alining lug i8 and locking [5 can move forwardly through the slit l3 the upper edge of the tab I4 is spaced from the upper edge of the wall ll so as to form an upper vertical stop shoulder HI on the upper part of the respective vertical edge of the wall, and the lower edge of the alining lug I8 is spaced from the lower edge of the wall ll so as to form a lower vertical stop shoulder I 8| on the lower part of this vertical edge, as shown in Fig. 11. Upon pushing this tab, locking lip and alining lug fully inward through the slit [3 until the. upper and lower stop shoulders I, IN engage with the respec- 4 tive face of the wall above and below this slit, the ends of the wall will be held against further movement lengthwise toward each other, thereby rendering the same comparatively strong and rigid.

The bottom of the box is connected with the lower edge of the side wall by a plurality of fastenings which are located in an annular row ad- Jacent to the corner between the bottom and side wall, each of these fastenings being preferably constructed as follows:

The numeral i9 represents a fan shaped tongue formed out of the bottom adjacent to the periphery of the latter by cutting a coupling slit 20 into the bottom which is substantially V- shaped and has a narrow outer part 2! forming a hinge whereby the tongue is integrally connected with the adjacent stock of the bottom and has a wide inner part which is free to be deflected vertically relative to the body of the bottom.

At intervals the lower edge of the side wall is provided with a tab formed integrally with the side wall comprising a neck 22 projecting horizontally inward from the lower edge of the wall and passing through the adjacent coupling slit 2!] from the underside to the upper side of the bottom and a locking beak 23 projecting laterally from the inner end of this neck and engaging its outer edge with one side end of the V-shaped coupling slit 2!) and thereby preventing the tab from being drawn radially outwardly and thus connecting the respective parts of the bottom and wall. Upon passing the beaks 23 and necks 22 of this coupling ta-b through the respective coupling slit 20 the fan-shaped tongue I9 is lifted or deflected upwardly sumciently to permit this operation. The beaks of the several necks 22 preferably project circumferentially in the same direction which permits the operator to quickly connect the coupling tabs 22, 23 successively with the bottom when erecting the box.

The means whereby the cover is connected with the side wall comprises a plurality of fastenings in annular arrangement adjacent to the coiiner between the peripheral edge of the cover and the upper part of the side wall, each of these cover fastenings being preferably constructed as follows:

At intervals the cover is provided at its periphery with a downwardly projecting coupling tab which is formed integrally therewith and comprises two vertical neck sections 24 arranged horizontally side by side and connected at their upper ends with the edge of the cover and having a vertical slit 25 between them and locking lips or wings 26 arranged at outer ends of the neck sections and projecting laterally therefrom in opposite directions so that this coupling tab, as a whole, has the general appearance of the letter T or the shape of an anchor.

Adjacent to each of the peripheral cover coupling tabs the side wall is provided with a pair of U-shaped coupling slits 21 which are arranged horizontally side by side and form two retaining ears or wings 28 which have their opposing inner ends integrally connected with the side wall while their outer ends are free and adapted to be defiected radially inward toward the axis of the box.

Preparatory to connecting the cover with the side wall of the box the neck sections of each of the cover tabs are first bent inwardly on the line of the vertical slit 25 between these neck sections 24 so that they are V-shaped and the distance between the outer ends of their locking lips 26 is shortened less than the distance between the outer ends of the coupling slits 21. While these neck sections and their lips are thus contracted, these lips are passed through these coupling slits from the outer to the inner side of the wall, during which operation the ears or wings 28 are deflected inwardly. After the locking lips are within the wall the same together with the neck sections carrying the same are permitted to expand due to the inherent resilience of the sheet material of which they are made, thereby projecting the outer ends of these locking lips along the inner side of Jade wall adjacent to the opposite extremities of the U-shaped slits 21, whereby the cover and wall are connected and can be handled without liability of its members coming apart.

In order to erect a box as a complete unit adapted as a container for pies or cakes which for sanitary reasons can be exposed in part for inspection by purchasers. a segmental part 29 of the cover is utilized as a lid which can be turned about a transverse hinge line 30 between the same and the main part or body 3| of the cover. On this hinge line the cover is preferably provided with a plurality of slits 32 in order to weaken the cover on this line and permit the same to bend more readily in the form of a hinge and thus avoid the necessity of providing any separate parts for accomplishing this purpose. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the lid of the cover is shown in its closed position at which time the lid is arranged edge to edge with the body of the cover and in the same plane while in Fig. 13 the lid is shown by full lines and in Fig. 2 by dotted lines turned backward over the body of the cover into an open position.

When thus using part of the cover as a lid the body portion 3| of the cover is preferably permanently connected by a plurality of cover fastening units heretofore described and one of such fastening units is utilized as means for detachably connecting the lid with the adjacent part of the wall, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4.

When utilizing a single fastening unit for detachably connecting the lid with the wall of the box this unit is preferably arranged on the central part of the front edge of the lid, at right angles to the hinge line 30 and the connecting tab of this locking lips of the detachable fastenings together Zil) unit is utilized as part of the means for holding the lid in its open position, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and by full lines in Figs. 12 and 13. For this purpose the main part or body 3| of the cover is provided diametrically opposite the detachable lid fastening with two coupling slits 33 of U-shape so as to form two retaining ears or wings 34 on the cover body which wings have their opposing inner ends integrally connected with the stock of the-body and the outer ends movable vertically similar to the wings 28 on the wall.

Upon turning the lid backwardly until it lies on top of the body of the cover and then pressing together the two necks and locking lips of the tab of the respective detachable fastening unit the outer ends of these lips may be passed inwardly through the U-shaped coupling slits 33 and deflect the locking lips 34 and after the latter are within the wall, releasing of the pressure on the necks and lips of this detachable fastening unit permits the same to again expand. due to their resilience sufficiently to disengage the lips 34 from the slits 33. Removal of the entire cover is a simple and quick operation which does not affect the box. for further use.

' As a whole this box is capable of being marketed at comparatively low cost on account of its simplicity in construction and relatively small number of parts which enter into its composition.

Moreover the several elements can be made of flat stock which can be easily cut into the required form of blanks and compactly stacked for storage and transportation.

The principles of construction applied to this box make possible a saving on material required. With the necessity for folding eliminated the time for assembly is greatly reduced, thus effecting substantial economies to both the manufacturer and user,

I claim as my invention:

A holding box comprising a wall having opposing ends which overlap one another, and means for connecting said ends including a vertical slit formed in one of said wall ends, a tab arranged on the other wall end and projecting through said slit from one side of the respective wall to the other and engaging with opposite ends of said slit and also provided on its central part with a locking lip which is bent laterally relative to the tab and across the rear edge of said slit. and a retaining lug which is arranged on the rear edge of said slit and in a plane which is located between the plane of the tab and the plane of said locking lip, whereby the latter is prevented by said retaining lug from unfolding and the tab is prevented from being withdrawn from said slit.

GUY JOHN EVANS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 534,308 Wilcox Feb. 19, 1895 843,933 Davidson Feb. 12, 1907 979,261 Compton Dec. 20, 1910 1,114,041 Richardson Oct. 20, 1914 1,273,845 Mock July 23, 1918 1,597,286 Pinkerton Aug. 24, 1926 1,852,830 Whitcomb Apr. 5, 1932 1,987,778 Keene Jan. 15, 1935 2,022,601 McDonald Nov. 26, 1935 2,075,465 Powell Mar. 30, 1937 2,220,913 Ringler Nov. 12, 1940 2,314,631 Ray "Mar. 23, 1943 2,338,019 Baker et al Dec. 28, 1943 2,409,701 Loth Oct. 22, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 427,646 Great Britain Apr. 29. 1935 

